Browsing by Subject "research"

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12
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    Academic identities and communities of practice in a professional discipline
    (Taylor & Francis, 2009) Jawitz, Jeff
    This paper explores the dynamics surrounding the formation of academic identities in a context where the nature of academic work is contested both as a result of tensions within the discipline and in response to pressure from both the institution and the field of higher education. It is based on a case study which investigated the process of academic identity formation at the micro level of a department at a South African university. The study revealed a complex relationship between identity construction and participation within the particular configuration of teaching, professional and research communities of practice that defined the academic field in the department. Multiple identity trajectories were evident, indicating the role of individual agency, despite the dominance of a professional community of practice within the department. The arrival of new academics in the department without professional practice experience was found to have created the possibility of a changed notion of the academic within the discipline.
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    Galactic and extragalactic distance scales: Some South African contributions
    (2005) Feast, Michael
    The work of South African astronomers in establishing and refining methods of measuring the distances of stars and galaxies is reviewed.
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    How do we play the genre game in preparing students at the advanced undergraduate level for research writing?
    (Taylor & Francis, 2011) Paxton, Moragh
    The study described in this article sets out to understand the barriers and affordances to successful completion of the short research thesis required in many advanced undergraduate courses or Honours programmes. In the study, the genre features of students' research projects and the criteria used to assess them were analysed and both students and supervisors were interviewed. The article focuses on one particular student from the case study and the findings provide in-depth insights into the complexities of genre acquisition in one particular department at a South African university, where writing and knowledge of the genre are often not taught, but must be acquired through a form of apprenticeship. The article concludes by raising some questions about how research genres can best be mediated in developmental contexts, where the teaching of writing may not be valued.
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    Position paper: The essential role of physiotherapists in providing rehabilitation services to people living with HIV in South Africa
    (2013) Cobbing S; Chetty, V; Hanass-Hancock J; Jelsma J; Myezwa H; Nixon S A
    Despite increased access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in South Africa, there remains a high risk of people living with HIV (PLHIV) developing a wide range of disabilities. Physiotherapists are trained to rehabilitate individuals with the disabilities related to HIV. Not only can South African physiotherapists play a significant role in improving the lives of PLHIV, but by responding proactively to the HIV epidemic they can reinforce the relevance and value of the profession in this country at a time when many newly qualified therapists are unable to secure employment. This paper offers recommendations that may help to fuel this response. These ideas include enhancing HIV curricula at a tertiary level, designing and attending continuing education courses on HIV and researching Southern African rehabilitation interventions for HIV at all levels of practice. Furthermore, it is vital that physiotherapists are at the forefront of directing multi-disciplinary responses to the rehabilitation of PLHIV in order to influence stakeholders who are responsible for health policy formulation. It is hoped that this paper stimulates discussion and further ideas amongst physiotherapists and other health professionals in order to improve the quality and access to care available to PLHIV in South Africa.
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    Priority water research questions for South Africa developed through participatory processes
    (2014) Siebrits, R M; Winter, K; Barnes, J; Dent, M C; Ekama, G; Ginster, M,; Harrison, J; Jackson, B; Jacobs, I; Jordaan, A; Kasan, H C; Kloppers, W; Le Roux, R; Maree, J; Momba, M N B; Munnik, A V; O'Keeffe, J; Schulze, R; Silberbauer, M; Still, D; Van Zyl, J E
    This paper describes a collaborative process of identifying and prioritising current and future water research questions from a wide range of water specialists within South Africa. Over 1 600 questions were collected, reduced in number and prioritised by specialists working in water research and practice. A total of 59 questions were finally proposed as an outcome of the study and are categorised under the themes of change, data, ecosystems, governance, innovation and resources. The questions range in scale, challenge and urgency, and are also aligned with prevailing paradigms in water research. The majority of the questions dealt with relatively short- to medium-term research requirements and most focused on immediate issues such as water supply, service delivery and technical solutions. Formulations of long-term research questions were sparse, partly because some of the principles and methods used in this study were difficult to apply in the South African context, and also because researchers are influenced by addressing what are believed to be the more immediate, short-term water-related challenges in South Africa. This is the first initiative of its kind to produce a comprehensive and inclusive list of research priorities for water in South Africa.
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    Radio monitoring of the hard state jets in the 2011 outburst of MAXI J1836−194
    (2015) Russell, T D; Miller-Jones, J C A; Curran, P A; Soria, R; Altamirano, D; Corbel, S; Coriat, M; Moin, A; Russell, D M; Sivakoff, G R; Slaven-Blair, T J; Belloni, T M; Fender, R P; Heinz, S; Jonker, P G; Krimm, H A; Körding, E G; Maitra, D; Markoff, S; Middleton, M; Migliari, S; Remillard, R A; Rupen, M P; Sarazin, C L; Tetarenko, A J; Torres, M A P; Tudose, V; Tzioumis, A K
    MAXI J1836-194 is a Galactic black hole candidate X-ray binary that was discovered in 2011 when it went into outburst. In this paper, we present the full radio monitoring of this system during its 'failed' outburst, in which the source did not complete a full set of state changes, only transitioning as far as the hard intermediate state. Observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) show that the jet properties changed significantly during the outburst. The VLA observations detected linearly polarised emission at a level of ~1% early in the outburst, increasing to ~3% as the outburst peaked. High-resolution images with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) show a ~15 mas jet along the position angle -21 ± 2o, in agreement with the electric vector position angle found from our polarisation results (-21 ± 4o), implying that the magnetic field is perpendicular to the jet. Astrometric observations suggest that the system required an asymmetric natal kick to explain its observed space velocity. Comparing quasi-simultaneous X-ray monitoring with the 5 GHz VLA observations from the 2011 outburst shows an unusually steep hard-state radio/X-ray correlation of LR ∝ LX1.8±0.2, where LR and LX denote the radio and X-ray luminosities, respectively. With ATCA and Swift monitoring of the source during a period of re-brightening in 2012, we show that the system lay on the same steep correlation. Due to the low inclination of this system, we then investigate the possibility that the observed correlation may have been steepened by variable Doppler boosting.
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    Responsible conduct of research: Global trends, local opportunities
    (2014) Rossouw, Theresa M; van Zyl, Christa; Pope, Anne
    Instances of research misconduct reported in the lay and scientific literature as well as international efforts to encourage research integrity and the responsible conduct of research are currently receiving considerable attention. In South Africa, however, the topic has not featured prominently in public debate and clear evidence of a national, coordinated effort to address the problem of research misconduct seems to be lacking. Given increasing globalisation of research efforts, the need exists to promote standardised approaches to interpretation and implementation of the principles and values that underlie responsible conduct of research as well as to create guidelines and structures to promote integrity in research in the country. We explore the notions of research misconduct and research integrity, focusing on initiatives that promote responsible conduct of research, and propose a framework for the South African context.
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    Risk in Postgraduate writing: voice discourse and edgework
    (University of the Western Cape, 2013) Thesen, Lucia
    This paper brings writing into the contested space of research and knowledge-making in South Africa. An often hidden dimension of research is that it has to find expression in a written product, increasingly in English. This creates challenges for both students, who have developed writing identities in other domains, disciplines and languages, and also supervisors and journal editors who are gatekeepers for the making of new knowledge. In a competitive and uncertain climate where discourses of risk management play an increasingly important part, people tend to play it safe when it comes to writing, conforming to a narrow image of scientific writing. This has consequences for knowledge-making as students often set aside the experiences, allegiances and styles they have developed along the way. Drawing on data from an international publishing project on risk in academic writing, the paper explores dilemmas around the process of research writing. These instances make the contradictions and tensions faced by writers and gatekeepers central, highlighting the importance of voice and risk. Both voice and risk are explored experientially and theoretically, with the emphasis on the potentials of risk. The concept of risk, not as risk management, but as risk-taking, offers new ways of thinking about writing that brings the decisions that writers and readers make to the fore. A focus on risk has the potential to offer new understandings about the changing landscapes in which writers and readers weigh up their options against notions of what is 'normal'. Finally I suggest edgework as a productive concept that can take work on risk forward in both research and pedagogy.
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    Skills development lectures
    (2012-09) Freeman, Laura; Goodman, Rachel; Marchant, Michael; Nkomo, Mandisi; Wirtjes, Sylvia; Lekalake, Rorisang Nikiwe.
    The lectures have been designed in such a way that one lecture is given per week. The lectures track the progression of the course and the skills that need to be refined. As such, the lectures are sensitive to coursework submissions and provide guidance within that context. The lectures are presented most commonly by the postgraduate team of tutors. This enables students to ask questions more freely. The lectures aim to be interactive – with tutors roaming the lecture space and encouraging participation (be it through questions, class or group exercises). This lecture series is aimed to help undergraduate students (in particular, those in senior years of study) to navigate through the academic challenges they face. The series focuses on more sophisticated forms of reading and research. It also aims to assist students in writing longer and more complex pieces. The series offers both theoretical/conceptual and practical guidance. The lecture series programme is as follows: 1. Concept, theory, case: seeks to differentiate between areas of analysis, and instil an understanding of concepts and theories as contested, changing, and often part of wider debate; 2. Building an argument: encourages students to think about their writing more critically and to form strategies for improving their argumentation; 3. Finding Your Academic Voice: this lecture aims to show students how they can source more effectively. It goes on to discuss how students can evaluate sources and the importance of not losing their own voice/argumentation in their writing; 4. Acting on Feedback: discusses how students can discern the meaning of feedback and respond accordingly; 5. The Merit of Methodology: touches on approaches to research and the need to consider methodology when developing research questions; 6. Writing a Research Proposal: discusses the use of a research proposal as well as the practicalities of putting one together; 7. Research Essay: Research, Think, Write: emphasises the need to plan and research before writing; 8. Research Essay: Structure, Argumentation, Originality and Etiquette: discusses the challenges and pressures of writing a longer academic piece; 9. Tests and Exams: revision and exam tips.
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    Water research paradigm shifts in South Africa
    (2014) Siebrits, Raymond; Winter, Kevin; Jacobs, Inga
    We performed a scientometric analysis of water research publications extracted from four decades of South African related papers to identify paradigms and paradigm shifts within water research in South Africa. Between 1977 and 1991, research publications are dominated by research into technical and engineering solutions, as well as designs and plans to secure water supply. From 1992 to 2001, publications on water pollution, water quality, water resource management and planning are prominent. The second major paradigm is observed from 2001 to 2011 in which the emphasis is on planning, modelling, catchment-scale studies and a multidisciplinary approach to research. Another transition period, towards the end of 2011, is characterised by uncertainty, although it also shows the prominence of key concepts such as participation, governance and politics in water management. The second aim of this study was to identify and prioritise current and future water research questions through the participation of a wide range of researchers from across the country, and to relate these questions to research paradigms, issues and concerns in water in South Africa. Over 1600 questions were collected, reduced in number and then prioritised by specialists in the water sector. The majority (78%) of questions offered by respondents in the South African case study dealt with relatively short- to medium-term research requirements with 47% of questions focused on medium-term issues such as supplying water, service delivery and technical solutions.
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    Why Southern African Scholars Conduct Research: A Comparative Study of Values
    (2014-08-14) Trotter, Henry
    Why do scholars conduct and disseminate research? This is a foundational question in academia, though one that is usually taken for granted in the literature on scholarly values and attitudes. Most studies – which typically focus on scholars from the global North – tend to assess academics’ feelings about research-related issues such as academic peer review, dissemination outlets for scholarly outputs, perceptions of journal quality, digital and Web 2.0 technologies, open access publishing and academic identity. They shed light on scholars’ attitudes toward elements of their research and communication practices, but they do not get at the more basic question of why scholars conduct research in the first place. In Africa, where most universities have only recently incorporated a research mission into what have long been teaching-oriented institutions, the question of why scholars conduct research is a pertinent one, and the answers cannot be assumed. Moreover, the purpose of university research on the continent is shaped by more than just the desires of the scholars themselves, but by those of their national governments, their institutions’ managers, students, overseas funders, local NGOs and community stakeholders. Thus all of these competing interests impact how scholars view the research enterprise. As part of its work of mapping scholarly communication activity systems in Southern Africa, the Scholarly Communication in Africa Programme (SCAP) tried to answer this foundational question by examining regional scholars’ motivations for conducting and disseminating research. Between 2010 and 2013, it engaged with four different faculties in four different universities (the Universities of Botswana, Cape Town, Mauritius and Namibia) so that the regions’ scholarly research and communication activities would be assessed with an eye for how disciplinary, institutional and national factors impacted scholars’ research values. In this paper, we explore the scholarly values motivating the production and dissemination of research in these four Southern African universities.
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    Writers Researching: Fact and Fiction
    (2014-09-29) Irwin, Ron; Moffett, Helen; Beukes, Lauren; Makholwa, Angela; Dowling, Finuala
    What is the relationship between research and the writing process and between historical ‘truth’ and fictional ‘truth’? Are there boundaries which should not be crossed? In this course writers will talk about the research that resulted in their recent novels. Ron Irwin, author of Flat Water Tuesday, will discuss how he researched people, places and real events and the challenges associated with turning the events of one’s own life into a novel. Helen Moffett, one of the trio behind the Girl Walk In series, will explain how she and her co-authors research and write erotica novels, providing insight into collaboration, champagne and condoms. Award-winning Lauren Beukes will describe how she ‘kinks’ reality in relation to the real-world research that informed The Shining Girls and Zoo City. Angela Makholwa will explore the process of writing the criminal mind, including interviews with a serial killer for Red Ink, and research about women who killed their husbands for Black Widow Society. Readers always assume that everything that happened in your book happened to you, complains Finuala Dowling, so what’s the point of trudging uphill for five hours in search of one sentence? Referring to both Homemaking for the Down-at-Heart and her latest manuscript, The Fetch, she discusses the price of authenticity.